Caine and Astrid
by Kyle3698
Summary: This is my entry to EvilOK's contest. I don't know weather or not I should continue this so if you could please please review! I hope you enjoy it though. This takes place in a version where astrid doesn't run away after killing Pete. I will change the title after the contest.
1. Chapter 1

**This is contest entry for EvilOK's contest. If people could review telling me weather or not I should continue this because I really don't know. Thanks i really hope you enjoy.**

Astrid stormed through the door into the mayors office. Her blonde hair was whipping behind her as she stormed into the office. Caine was sitting there with that unbearably smug grin on his stupid face.

"You bastard" she shouted going right up to him.

"What's wrong Astrid?' He asked grinning knowingly.

"You killed him. You promised not to but you did!" She shouted resisting the urge to smack him.

"Killed who?" Caine asked still grinning.

"Sam you said you would leave us alone when we left for the lake but he is dead now because you got one of your idiots to kill him!" She screamed.

'How do you it was me who killed him? I'm not the only one who hated my brother." Caine said getting up off his chair to look Astrid in the eye.

All of a sudden Astrid felt a warm feeling spread through her body,just like she felt when she was with Sam. She looked straight into his eyes, his dark mysterious eyes and all of a sudden she wasn't fighting the urge to hit him but she was fighting the urge to kiss him.

They stood watching each other for what felt like forever until Caine made his move. He leaned and kissed her but instead of pulling away Astrid kissed back. She wrapped her arms around her neck and he wrapped his around her waist.

"What about Diana?" Astrid whispered as Caine pushed her towards ships makeshift bed.

"She left me." He said taking off his top.

Astrid let herself smile as he did this. She kissed him one more time before he pushed her onto the bed and climbed on top of her.


	2. Chapter 2

**So guys thanks to those who reviewed it means a lot! I also have one other thing to say. That is that in this story Diana's pregnancy is normal and Sam and a few others were the only ones that know about it. Astrid didn't. Anyway hope you all enjoy this chapter and please review. It really does mean a lot.**

Chapter 2:

Astrid woke up slowly, opening her eyes as she did. She was being cruelly dragged out of great dream. She turned on her side as she opened her eyes, expecting to see her boyfriend next to her. He wasn't there. She sighed, he had been doing this a lot recently. Getting up too early in the morning. He was worried about something he wasn't telling her about.

Eventually, after five minutes of lying there staring at the white ceiling, she woke up enough to drag herself out of bed and pull on her clothes. She then trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen where she looked through the cupboards. Nothing as usual. She hoped Quinn had caught some fish today, she hadn't had something nice like that to eat for a day or two now.

So instead of eating she did what she did most mornings, she left the house in search of boyfriend.

Caine was walking along the beach. The water was just licking his feet as he walked. He felt bad for leaving Astrid by herself again. But he needed to think.

He was getting ready to go back when he heard a familiar voice calling out to him. He smiled when he heard her.

"Hey, where'd you get to this morning. I missed you" Astrid said, kissing him.

"I had to think. So I came out here." Caine said, smiling at her still messy hair.

"Think about what" Astrid asked pulling out of his embrace.

Caine thought about this for a second. He didn't know how to tell Astrid that he was going to be a father. But he knew that if he didn't tell her soon she would find out herself and give out to him for not telling her sooner.

"Just stuff" Caine replied pulling her back into his arms.

"Okay. So what are you doing today?" Astrid asked.

"I have to go see Quinn and Albert about food and stuff." Caine said.

"Ok so. Could get some fish off Quinn please, we could do with some food." Astrid said, smiling at him.

"Sure. I'll see you later. I have to now go and be the peoples beloved king." Caine said kissing Astrid good bye.

"Of course your majesty" Astrid said sarcastically.

He kissed Astrid one more time and then walked off away from her and the beach towards a meeting where he would most defiantly only think of Astrid.


	3. Chapter 3

**Guys sorry that this might seen a little rushed and a bit worse then the last chapter, but I found it hard to write and I was trying to get this up before I left. But I still hope you enjoy it and please review as usual!**

Chapter 3:

Astrid watched her boyfriend walk off. She smiled. She had loved the last month. At first it had been strange, going out with the same boy who had tried to kill herself and Sam and so many others, but the more time she spent with him the more she came to love him.

She still felt guilty for leaving the lake. She had just run off when she saw Sam bleeding on the deck of their houseboat. She felt guilty for not calling anyone when she saw him. Instead she had run away. She had spent two days on the road before she decided where to go. Before she had decided to go to Caine.

Most days she wondered what Sam would say if he were still alive. He'd probably hate her. Hate her and hate Caine, if that was even possibly for him to hate Caine more then before.

She turned around a began to walk back the way she had come only minutes before. The fake sun was shining in her eyes. She couldn't see much ahead if her so when the boy called out to her she couldn't make out his face, but she recognised the voice straight away.

"Astrid!." Sam called out.

Caine walked happily towards town hall even though if you walked past him you wouldn't know. He wore a his usual frown and scowled at people as they walked past. But inside he was overjoyed. And depressed. He didn't want a child. He wanted Astrid. But instead he got Astrid and a child. It wasn't even his and Astrid's child. It was his and Diana's child.

He would have to tell Astrid soon. Otherwise she would start thinking up reasons why he didn't tell her sooner. He would tell her later. After the meeting.

"Yeah, later" he whispered to himself.


	4. Chapter 4:Flashback

**Thanks for the reviews means a lot. I'm really enjoying writing this. Longer chapter today. It goes back in time so you're going to have to wait to see what happens with Sam and Astrid and Caine. Hope you all enjoy! Review as usual.**

Chapter 4:

ONE MONTH AND A WEEK EARLIER

Sam walked out the door of the houseboat. He had just waken up and was still groggy from waking up. His hair was messy and he had rings around his eyes showing that he hadn't gotten a good night' sleep since, well, since this whole the had begun.

"We could jump in.' Astrid said coming up behind him.

"Yeah we could. But I have to go. Edililo is waiting for me." Sam said, turning around and giving her a hug.

"Fine, I'll be here when you decide to come back" Astrid said, going back into the houseboat.

Sam smiled and walked off. The boat was docked so he basically just jumped off the side onto the marina. He was supposed to meet Edililo a little bit away from the lake. He walked for around two minutes on a dirt path before two boys both armed with a gun, jumped out of the bushes. Sam instinctively held up his hands and got ready to shoot his lasers at them.

"Put the guns down." Sam said not wanting to get shot.

The boy with black hair and a serious looking face shook his head. He aimed at Sam's chest and shot. The explosion was in slow motion for Sam. The trigger being pulled, the bullet whizzing towards its target. The explosion of pain as the bullet tore through his shirt and into his chest. He just had time to shoot one beam at the boy but it missed by a couple of inches. Sam fell to the floor, blood pouring out of his shirt. Too much blood pouring out of the hole in his chest.

The two boys then proceeded to each grab one of Sam's hands and pull him into a bush, they then ran off. Faces white as ghost immediately regretting what they had just done.

Astrid had just off the houseboat when she heard the gunshot. It came from the direction Sam has been heading only minutes earlier.

"Surly it couldn't be him. He can't have been shot.' Astrid said to herself, running in the direction of the shot, worried for her boyfriend.

She ran as fast as she could not stopping to breath until she saw the trail of blood and stopped. She was panting. The blood on the ground was still wet and warm meaning that it had only been there less then an hour or two. She followed the trail to a bush where it ended. She had look inside the bush and her worst nightmare had just become real. Her boyfriend was dead. Blood was pooling out around him. His chest wasn't rising and falling. His face was white and his shirt which had been white earlier was now a blood red colour. His eyes were closed.

Stumbling backwards Astrid began to panic. She had no idea what to do. Astrid the genius had no ideas. Her boyfriend was murdered. She was still walking backwards away from the bush when she heard a voice.

Then she did the first thing that popped into her head. Run. Get away from it all. Sam used be the only thing keeping her there. But he was dead now. She had killed her brother and this was her punishment. Her boyfriend was killed. So that was it. Astrid's turned and ran. Away from the lake. Away from safety. Away from everything. She was going to find out who did this. But first she had to clear her head.


	5. Chapter 5

**So, I'm here with another chapter already. The reason is that I have WAY TOO MUCH free time on my hands right now so I'm spending a lot of time writing this fic and improving my other one. So in the next day expect one or two more chapters... As I said WAY TOO MUCH free time. ENJOY**

Chapter 5:

ONE MONTH AND A WEEK LATER

"Sam! You're alive." Astrid said, surprised.

"Yeah just bearly though." He said going over and hugging her.

"Great. That's...ahm...great." Astrid said awkwardly hugging him back.

A million thoughts raced through Astrid's head as she stood in his embrace. What would Caine say when he found out. Would he kill Sam? How would she tell Caine that Sam is still alive. How would she tell Sam about Caine? Why was Caine's embrace so much better then Sam's

"You alright?" Sam asked her.

"What yeah I'm fine. What about you? Where have you been the last month?" Astrid asked looking for an excuse to go running to Caine and tell him about Sam.

"Well I was in a coma until last week and I had to take it easy but I had to go and find you. So here I am." Sam explained quickly.

"I thought you were dead. I saw you. You were dead.' Astrid said, pushing him away.

"I was close to death. Extremely close to death. But Edililo got to me in time." Sam explained.

"I saw you! You were dead!" Astrid said, feeling tears begin to form in her eyes.

"Then how am I here Astrid?" Sam said softly.

"No Sam! You are dead! There was too much blood! You died!" Astrid shouted turning around and running off in the direction Caine had went only a half an hour ago.

She ignored Sam shouting after her. She didn't want to hear what he had to say. She wanted to be with Caine.

Caine had just emerged from the meeting with Albert and Quinn when he saw Astrid running towards him. He smiled briefly until he saw the look of horror on her face. She ran over and threw her arms around him.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He said hugging her.

"It's Sam. He's still alive. He's here." She said holding him tightly, not wanting to let go.

"What do you mean? My brother Sam. He is alive and he's here?" Caine said cursing his luck.

Of course his brother is still alive. Anything Caine wants his stupid brother gets! Power. Sam got, in town and the lake. Astrid. Sam got again. Sam could have even gotten Diana if he really wanted to.

"Yes Caine! My dead boyfriend is here and he is not dead!" She shouted pulling away from him.

"I could kill him." Caine said.

"No. You are not killing him. We can figure this out." Astrid said.

"Do you want to be with him?" Caine asked with a hint of jealously in his voice.

"I want to be with you Caine. Not Sam. Not anymore." She said, allowing Caine to pull her into another hug.

"Good. Then we'll figure this..."Caine began but was interrupted by another voice.

"Really Astrid! I know I wasn't the best boyfriend ever, but Caine! I 'die' and you running to my brother! The same brother who tried to kill me numerous times!" Sam shouted angry at Caine and Astrid not knowing which one to be more furious at.

And with that Sam stormed off. He needed to clear his head.

"Killing him is defiantly not an option?" Caine said as Astrid held him harder then before trying not to cry.

She didn't answer Caine.


	6. Chapter 6: I Love You

Chapter 6:

Sam left town. He was going to go back to the Lake. He couldn't stay. Not after seeing Caine and Astrid together. It ruined him. Out of any person in the FAYZ Astrid could have gone out with it she went with Caine. It made him furious to think about it. Caine had tried to kill him so many times, but Astrid still ends up with him. He wanted to shout out and hit someone. But he a better idea. He turned around and went back towards town and towards Coates.

Astrid and Caine walked hand in hand back to the house they now shared. The house was a two stories high. They occasionally shared it with Dahra when she needed some rest from the hospital. Astrid and Caine shared the master bedroom. The kitchen was big enough for the two and sometimes three of them. There was a living room but it wasn't used as all the equipment in it was now useless. But this was one of those times when Astrid needed to sit down on something comfortable.

As soon as she got in to the house she went into the living room and through herself down onto the couch. Caine sat next to her and put his arm around her.

"Are you ok?" Caine asked.

"No. I was almost certain he as dead. But he is here. Alive." Astrid said still trying not to cry into Caine again.

"Astrid, you need to believe me when I say I didn't send anyone to kill him. That was not me." Caine said, feeling like he needed to tell Astrid that.

"I know. You've said that before." Astrid said, wondering how he must be feeling right now.

"Good. Do you want anything?" Caine asked, desperately wanting to help her.

"No. How are you, Caine?" Astrid said.

"I'm fine. Well, I'm a bit shocked actually." Caine said truthfully.

"I'm shocked to." Astrid said.

"Are you going to leave me?" Caine asked.

"What? No Caine. I'm not going to leave you." Astrid said.

"I love you." Astrid said.

"I love you too" Caine said, smiling.


	7. Chapter 7: Fight

**Thanks soooooooo much for the support it means a lot to me. I really hope everyone likes this chapter. **

Chapter 7:

TWO DAYS LATER

Sam temple was drunk. Not like the last time when he kissed Taylor, but ten times worse. Two days ago he had stormed into Coates into Howard's distillery and demanded Howard made Sam lots of alcohol, and now two days later and with only two hours sleep Sam stumbled through the doors of Coates academy, heading towards town and his girlfriend.

Caine was in the school's former playground turned market. He was getting fish off Quinn. And because he was King of the FAYZ he got the fish for free. Caine hadn't gotten a good night sleep in the last two nights. Ever since Sam arrived back actually. Astrid had become withdrawn and talked only when someone when she was asked a question. Sam hadn't been seen anywhere for the last two days

Caine was walking back towards town hall when he heard a scream come from the general direction of Coates. Then he saw a boy stagger into town. He was to far away to tell who he was, but when the beam of light shot out of his hand Caine's suspicion's were answered. Sam was back.

Astrid was just coming out if town hall when the beam of light shot overhead. She then saw her former boyfriend charge through the crowd towards Caine. Sam looked like he was incredibly drunk by the way he walked or rather staggered. His first shot missed Caine by about three metres but the second one missed him by much less. After that shot Caine dropped what he was holding and threw an invisible punch at Sam throwing him back a bit. Sam ran back at Caine. This time Astrid ran from where she was standing towards Sam.

"Sam there are better ways to handle this. Killing Caine will not help." Astrid said, grabbing Sam and trying to pull him back.

"Go away." He growled.

"Sam you cannot kill him." Astrid shouted.

Sam didn't respond. Instead he elbowed Astrid in the temple and everything for Astrid went black.

Caine saw Astrid run up behind Sam and try to talk him out of fighting. He also saw Sam elbow her and Astrid fall to the ground. After that Caine realised that Sam was hellbent in killing him. Caine retaliated immediately by running at Sam and tackling him to the ground before he knew what was happening. Caine grabbed Sam's wrists and pressed them into the floor, away from his face. Caine pressed his knee into Sam's chest. Sam grimaced in pain as Caine dug his knee in.

"Well isn't this a change brother." Caine said.

"Get off me and fight" Sam said struggling to get out of Caine's grip.

"No, how about this you leave town and don't come back."

"What if I say no."

"It wasn't a suggestion. It is only way you're leaving this town alive" Caine said.

After a few minutes of silence Sam grudgingly accepted Caine's terms. Caine escorted Sam to the highway.

"Don't come back." Caine said, before turning around and leaving Sam to walk to wherever he was going to go.


	8. Chapter 8

**Guys I am sooooo sorry this took so long. It was a hard chapter for me to write. Please review it means a lot.**

Chapter 8:

7 MONTHS LATER

"So what's the crisis today?" Astrid asked as canoe walked through the door into the house.

"Oh the usual. My subjects annoying me another food shortage." Caine said.

"You know that whole 'King Caine' thing is getting really old." Astrid grinned.

"Oh ya. The FAYZ wall is also going black." Caine said.

"What?! It's going black?" Astrid nearly shouted.

"Yep, Lana told me earlier. She was outside and there was black creeping up the wall." Caine said throwing himself down onto the couch.

"Can it rub off?" Astrid said, not wanting to hear the answer.

"No. The wall is going dark." Caine said.

"Night forever." Astrid whispered to herself.

"Seems likely." Caine said.

"There is going to panic. Unless..." Astrid began.

"We are not going running to Sam at the first sign of trouble Astrid." Caine said, anger boiling inside him.

"If he were here at we..." Astrid began again.

"But he is not here! And I am not going to go and find him!" Caine shouted.

"If the wall goes black then we won't have light. We'd be ok if the nuclear plant was still working, but you had to end that didn't you!" Astrid shouted, finding herself hating him.

Caine didn't reply. He sat there scowling, hoping that Astrid would just leave. He was sick of her. At first being with her was fun but now everything was back to normal. He hated her again. She was opinionated and bossy and just plain annoying. Eventually he spoke.

"You know what Astrid. Just leave. Go find Sam. Just don't come back here. We're done." Caine said, still fuming.

"Fine!" Astrid shouted getting up and storming out of the house.

Caine sighed and smiled. She was gone. The house was finally quiet.

Astrid stormed out of the walked for ten minutes before realising that she had no where to go. Since coming back to town she hadn't had to worry about shelter when she was with Caine. She briefly thought about going back.

"Not now. Let him cool off then go back" she whispered.

She walked a little longer before she finally made up her mind about what to do. Turning around she backtracked back to the highway which she crossed earlier and followed the route Sam had walked seven months previous. She had an idea.

Diana was sweating. She had just given birth. She had just given birth to a little baby girl. Which had been immediately taken by the Gaiaphage. Drake was in the cavern with that evil grin in his face. Diana was sitting propped up against the wall. Jagged stones digging into her back and legs. Her hair was a mess and she was cut and bruised from the journey down there with drake. The baby in the other hand looked two months old. Not a newborn baby. She also wasn't crying like most baby's would be. No she was curious looking around, staring at everything.

She had already decided the name. It seemed fitting. Gaia.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

It was about one in the morning when Caine woke, sweating. He had been having bad dreams lately. The Darkness as reaching out to him again, pulling him in. Pulling him into its control. He hadn't told anyone about it. Well except for Astrid. He missed her next to him. The warmth of her body as they snuggled together at night and when Caine woke up.

But tonight she wasn't there. Ashe had left like she had done many times, the only difference was that this time she hadn't come back. And now he wished he hadn't fought with her. Sam had always been a controversial topic, but they had never fought over it like they had earlier. He had to find her and apologise to her.

Astrid had walked long into the night. She had walked until her body forced her to stop and rest. So she had lay on the grass and slept. It hadn't been the best sleep ever but it had done. She had missed Caine though. She had walked for another couple of miles when her stomach started grumbling. She didn't stop though, she just kept walking. She had a plan to stop the entire FAYZ going insane from the darkness that was rising up the wall.

Sam had spent the last few months living everywhere. After Caine had beaten him he had went to the nuclear plant and had stayed there for a while. He had then spent some time watching the town. Seeing if Astrid would leave to find him. She never did. He had then moved to Stefano Ray where he had stayed for a while longer. He had done the one thing he had promised himself he would never do. He went to the mineshaft and waited for Drake to either come out or come back.

He had only had to wait one day. During the night he had heard screams coming from the mineshaft, but he hadn't gone down. He had waited. And when Drake did finally come out, he was surprised to see Sam waiting for him.

"Has Sam finally come to try and kill me." Drake said grinning evilly.

"No. I want to join you."

"You want it what?" Drake said, now so surprised he didn't hear Brianna come up behind the rock and few feet away from Drake.

"I want to join you and that...thing...down there." Sam said, not sure what to call the Darkness.

"This is a joke, right. You hate me and I hate you. Why would want to join me?" Drake asked, trying to hide his disbelieve.

"Not a joke. I want a truce between us so we can work together to kill Caine."

"Ahh. I get it now. You want to kill Caine."

"Yeah I do. So what do you say?"

"Fine. But it is only temporary." Drake said.

"Thats all I ask" Sam said smiling at the thought of slowly killing Caine.


	10. Chapter 10 Death and Darkness

**Guys thanks for all the comments it means a load. I would also just like to say that in this Taylor isn't going to go all golden. I didn't really like that bit in the book.**

Chapter 10:

Brianna ran as fast as she could back towards the lake. She was shocked at what she just saw. Sam had made an alliance with Drake and The Gaiaphage. Everyone knew that he was upset about the Caine and Astrid thing, but no one have guessed that he would do this to get back at his brother.

It was getting harder to run. The do e was getting darker by the second. There was only a little hole at the top with sunshine shining through. But she had to get and tell the others about Sam. They had to know. They couldn't be taken by surprise by this.

Brianna was so focused on getting back to the lake she didn't see the rock and the steep hill. So when she tripped over the rock and went flying down the hill, she went into shock. It all happened so fast she didn't even have time to scream in pain. She landed on her head, split it open and broke her neck. Brianna died instantly. Without telling the other s of Sam's betrayal.

Astrid had nearly given up hope by the time she had reached the lake. She had thought that she wouldn't make it. The hole at the top of the dome was now nearly non-existent. She had immediately asked the first kid she had found to get Computer Jack. It had taken him a few minutes to respond and arrive, but when he did he was surprised to see Astrid.

"Hey, Astrid." He said cautiously.

"You need to come with me." Astrid demanded.

"What. No." Jack said, surprised by how sudden this had happened.

"Jack, I have an idea. But I need you to help me with it." Astrid pleaded

"What plan?" Jack asked, curious.

"If you come, I'll tell you." Astrid said in a bid to get Jack to come with her.

"No. Tell me now." Jack insisted.

"Come with me." Astrid repeated.

"Goodbye Astrid." Jack said, turning around and walking back to his houseboat.

"Fine. I'll tell you. I want you to try to restart the power plant." Astrid said.

"It won't work." Jack said immediately.

"Why not?" Astrid asked, puzzled for the first time in her life.

"One reason is that it is missing a uranium rod, another reason is that the other rods have probably been destroyed and another reason is that the whole plant was destroyed by many different people." Jack explained.

"So its impossible."

"Yep, sorry." Jack said.

"Shit." Astrid shouted,"Is Sam here?" She continued.

"No. We haven't seen him for months." Jack said.

"Ok. I'm going to try to get back to town." Astrid said, suddenly wanting to be in Caine's arms.

"Yeah, good luck." Jack said, turning around and making his way back to his houseboat to wait for Brianna to arrive back.

Astrid, now furious at herself for a wasteful trip, began her long trip home in pitch dark, with a touch she had found in a bag in the road which seemed to work. She had gotten at least a mile down the road when she felt hands wrap around her waist from behind. She blinked and was back in town. Facing Caine.

Caine had absolutely no idea where Astrid had gone to. He had searched the whole town. He had sent Taylor to numerous places in search of her. But she wasn't found. He hadn't sent her to the lake though. Why would Astrid go there. Lots of kids were complaining about the darkness that was sweeping up the dome. They were also complaining about Penney. But Caine didn't have time for that. He needed to find Astrid before it got dark. So he sent Taylor to the Lake. Just to see if they had seen her.

Taylor had been gone about five minutes when she bounced back. She was holding a very surprised looking Astrid. It took about five seconds for them to register what had just happened. By the time it had registered for him, Astrid had her arms wrapped around him. Her head was tucked into his chest. He let himself smile briefly before he put his hands around her.

"Sorry." She said into his chest.

"I'm sorry as well." He said, smiling as he held her and as the tiny hole at the top of the dome closed.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Down in a dark cavern, Diana sat cradling her baby, who looked about two now, Sam sat in the corner, sulking and thinking about possible ways he could slowly kill Caine and Drake paced around the cavern, never taking his eyes off Sam.

Even drake had heard about Astrid and Caine. Everyone had. Well that was what the kid he had whipped half to death told him before he killed him. Drake hadn't believed it at first, then he had thought it was funny, then he gone back to his original feelings, he hated all four of them and wanted to kill them all slowly and painfully.

There has been no plans yet. But it was fairly obvious to what it was going to be. They would match into town and reign hell down on them. Drake grinned at the thought of being able to kill whoever he wanted. He grinned at the thought of killing Astrid and Diana. He would probably let Sam kill Caine then drake himself would take care of Sam.

Astrid was still Caine's arms when Taylor collapsed. She immediately broke away from Caine, and ran over to Taylor's slumped body. Astrid knelt down next to her and started tapping her cheek and saying her name.

"Taylor, taylor." Astrid repeated over and over tapping her cheek.

Eventually Taylor woke up. She was rubbing her head as she pushed herself up to a sitting position.

"What happened?" Astrid asked as she helped Taylor to her feet.

"I've never done that before. I've never been able to bounce someone else with me." Taylor said.

"Then why did you try to do it back there." Astrid asked.

"I don't know. It was like I wasn't in control of my body. It was like one second I was looking at your back then the next I was waking up here with a massive headache." Taylor tried to explain.

"The Gaiaphage?" Caine asked, looking a bit panicked.

"No I don't think so. I've never gone near that thing." Taylor said.

That was when Astrid realised who made Taylor do it. Astrid took a small step back, praying that it wasn't going to be him. Astrid looked at Taylor. She was looking behind Astrid, towards the plaza.

"What's going on over there?" Taylor asked.

Caine and Astrid turned at the same time, both looking towards the plaza. There was an orange glow coming from over the houses. When they turned back around, Taylor was gone.

"Come on. Let's go and see whats going on." Caine said, taking Astrid's hand.

"Caine, i think it was little Pete who made Taylor do that." Astrid said, unmoving.

"Can you be sure?" Caine asked, letting go of her hand.

"No. But who else could do that?" Astrid asked, remembering the moment she threw Little Pete to the bugs.

"The Gaiaphage could have reached out to her without her knowing." Caine said, trying to make her feel better.

"You think?"

"It's possible." Caine said, knowing in his heart it wasn't.

"Ok. Let's go." Astrid said, taking his hand and walking with him towards the light.


End file.
